Any builder or developer knows that in most cases your typical student housing project warrants wood-framed construction. However, with 200 Edgewood, a student housing project adjacent to Georgia State University and located in the heart of the Martin Luther King historical district, it became evident that having a seasoned builder on board would change the outcome of the project.
To meet the requirements of the MLK Historical District and the desire for the units to have certain ceiling heights a concrete and/or a structural steel frame solution became the only viable option, but the cost was detrimental to the return on investment. With a desire to satisfy the Owner’s objectives for return on investment and meet the overall project requirements, the Shell McElroy (SMCC) team began to reach into the market and lean on their relationships to explore viable solutions.
Solution: First of its Kind in the State of Georgia
The answer lied in a system that had been used on a project outside of Georgia – a load bearing metal stud, bar joist, and metal decking system. Using a composite floor system and structural stud load bearing wall panels, pre-manufactured out of state, the SMCC team was able to meet the Owner’s stated budget and schedule goals, while still meeting the design requirements outlined for the project. Shell McElroy, along with their suppliers, worked in tandem to create a product type unlike any other system in the market. As such, 200 Edgewood was the first project in the State of Georgia to use the combined products to help achieve the desired look under the tight timeframe typically seen in student housing.
Design Assist Format Makes the Most of Program
Our SMCC team partnered on this project in a “design assist” format to relieve the Engineer of Record from the doing the small detailing of the project’s structural design and to also assist the Architect and MEP Engineers in the layout and design of their respective features without interfering with the structural integrity of the system. Collaboratively, the team was able to account for the shear resistant forces of the structure through the panels utilizing heavy gauge strap bracing and through bolts into the slab to eliminate the need for cast-in-place or masonry shear walls. This not only presented cost savings but became a true schedule enhancement. All the necessary calculations, details, opening layouts, etc. were shown on stamped engineered shop drawings. Inspection of the system was done by the Engineer of Record, 3rd party inspectors, and the specialty contractor both in the plant and in the field to ensure conformance to the design.
At the end of the day this development was delivered on-time and under budget, meeting all stated objectives of the project and now stands as a signature building with its “Tower of Light” at 200 Edgewood Avenue providing incredible views to its residents of Southeast Atlanta.